The Long Winter

So lately my addiction has been getting out of hand. And like most additions, it seems harmless to me but my husband is quick to tell that it is destroying our marriage. So maybe it’s not all that drastic, I’m just addicted to Little House on the Prairie. Jake says he can’t handle another episode. I think he got burned out from the Little House marathon I did early in the month when I found Season 3 at the library. We watched all 19 episodes in two weeks! He may be burned out, but now I have Little House fever. But since he has banned the videos from our house I’ve taken to reading the series.

The books are easy reads, enjoyable and interesting as Laura Ingalls Wilder describes her life on the prairie during the post civil war years. As I was reading book 6, The Long Winter, our electricity goes out. Now, I ‘m reading about twisting hay to burn to keep them warm since they are out of coal and wood. I’m reading of blizzard after blizzard that keeps the trains away for months. There are descriptions of the process of grinding wheat into flour using a coffee mill to make bread since the stores are out of flour. They ration themselves to one loaf a day for a family of six until spring when the trains can arrive with supplies. As I’m reading about these hardships I say, “how long as the power been out?” because my eyes were hurting from reading by candle light and my nose was beginning to get cold. “A half hour”, Jake says. He then adds, “You would never make it as Laura Ingalls.” So, he is probably right. I am glad that my fascination with her life is not a reality for myself, but that doesn’t mean that I can read about her (or watch, don’t tell Jake!).